Dr. S. Bobby Mukkamala, an otolaryngologist from Flint, Michigan, has made history as the first person of Indian origin to be elected president of the American Medical Association (AMA), becoming its 180th leader since the organization’s inception in 1847. His presidency began in June 2025, following a year as president-elect, and reflects a landmark moment for diversity in U.S. medicine.
Born in 1971 in Pittsburgh to immigrant physicians from Andhra Pradesh—Drs. Appa Rao and Sumathi Mukkamala—he was raised in Flint after his parents completed their medical residencies there. Bobby earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, followed by residency training in Chicago. Since 2000, he has maintained a solo ENT practice in Flint, sharing his office with his wife, Dr. Nita Kulkarni, an obstetrician-gynecologist.
Dr. Mukkamala's involvement with the AMA began during residency and has included roles such as Michigan representative to the AMA Young Physicians Section, chair of the AMA Council on Science and Public Health (2016–17), and board member of the AMA Board of Trustees starting in 2017. He also chairs the AMA's Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force and is a past recipient of the AMA Foundation’s “Excellence in Medicine” Leadership Award.
His leadership has extended into community advocacy—most notably during the Flint water crisis, where he chaired the Community Foundation of Greater Flint to support lead exposure mitigation in children, and he continues to serve on the boards of Flint’s community organizations and the Michigan State Medical Society
Just six months prior to his inauguration, Dr. Mukkamala underwent brain surgery to remove most of an 8‑cm temporal lobe tumor. He described the experience—"laying in recovery with tubes and wires"—as a humbling and inspiring reminder of the patient journey, which strengthens his resolve to tackle disparities in healthcare access.
Driven by his dual experience as physician and patient, his presidential agenda targets pressing systemic issues: physician burnout, Medicare reimbursement reform, excessive prior authorizations, and health records interoperability. He emphasizes shifting from a "sick-care model" toward chronic disease prevention and advocates for expanding the physician workforce by easing pathways for international medical graduates.
Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Mukkamala said it was “humbling,” “moving,” and “awe-inspiring” to receive his peers’ support. He credited his parents, immigrant physicians who served the community through decades of practice, instilling values of service and perseverance in him
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